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1
Pour 6 tablespoons of the olive oil into the saucepan, and set it over low heat.
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2
Scatter the onion slices over the bottom of the pan, and lay the octopuses on top.
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3
Scatter the olives over the octopuses, cover the pan, and let the octopuses heat slowly, releasing their liquid, and starting to cook in it.
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4
After an hour or so, uncover the pan and check to see that there is plenty of octopus liquid in the pan.
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5
If it seems dry, add 1 cup of water at a time.
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6
This recipe should yield 2 cups of sauce when the octopus is done.
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7
Continue the covered slow cooking for another hour, until the octopuses are very tender.
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8
Start testing for doneness after 1 3/4 hours: stick the tines of a fork in the thickest part of each octopus; when the fork slides out easily, the meat is done.
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9
Remove the octopuses from the pot, and let them cool slightly.
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10
To make a meaty octopus sauce, cut both octopuses into 3/4-inch chunks, skin and all (or you can leave the octopuses whole for serving).
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11
Measure the liquid remaining in the saucepan.
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12
Again, you should have about 2 cups total.
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13
If the volume is greater, return the juices to the saucepan and boil to reduce it.
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14
Put the cut octopus meat and the juices in the skillet for dressing the pasta.
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15
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt).
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16
Drop in the spaghetti, stirring and separating the strands.
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17
Cover the pot, return the water to a boil over high heat, then set the cover ajar and cook the pasta until barely al dente.
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18
As the spaghetti cooks, bring the octopus meat and sauce in the skillet to a rapid simmer; taste, and add 1/4 teaspoon salt if needed (octopus is naturally salty).
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19
Stir in the parsley.
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20
Lift the spaghetti from the pot, drain briefly, and drop it into the skillet.
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21
Toss the pasta and the simmering sauce together for a minute or two, until the spaghetti is nicely coated with sauce and perfectly al dente, and the octopus chunks are distributed throughout the pasta.
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22
Turn off the heat, drizzle over the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss again.
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23
Heap the spaghetti into warm bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of octopus pieces, and serve immediately.
